While the prior art has contemplated a variety of shields, including projectile shields and guards to prevent the use of ladders, and riot shields, bullet proof vests, and flak jackets and the like, none appear to have contemplated or suggested the combination of the present invention.
A listing of some patents which may be considered pertinent to the present invention follow:
______________________________________ Patent Number Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 4,579,197 Spurling 04/01/1986 4,674,394 Martino 01/23/1987 4,843,947 Bauer et al 07/04/1989 5,241,703 Roberts et al 09/07/1993 ______________________________________
U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,197 teaches a ladder guard comprising a flat, planer surface adopted to engage one side of a fixed ladder in order to prevent unauthorized parties from climbing the ladder when in the closed, locked position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,394 to Martino teaches a "Portable Bullet-Proof Shield" of ballistic material, the shield including a portal for viewing therethrough, also of bullet-proof material.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,241,703 and 5,641,934 contemplate transparent protective shields of bullet resistant material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,941 teaches a riot shield, and is of general pertinence.
Approaching a hostile target is a difficult and dangerous operation for police, military, and the like. In the past, one had to rely upon a shield or other protective item placed between the target and the user, or the user was exposed to firepower. This problem was compounded when the user had to scale an obstacle such as a fence or vehicle, or had to gain access to a raised point of entry, such as a window, as the choice was either a ladder or a shield; without the shield, the user was exposed; without the ladder, the user faced problems in quickly scaling the obstacle.
Based upon a review of the above prior art, it would appear that the concept of a specially designed ladder configured for utilization in an offensive assault, further including a spaced shield separated therefrom of projectile resistant material has not been shown or suggested in combination in the prior art.